On occasion we chat about the underground dinner scene in Dallas which has maintained steady strength regardless of the new restaurants that have been opening in Dallas. People enjoy that secretive aspect to the dinners, and all the joy of camaraderie associated with these special evenings. The premise is simple. Be lucky enough to know about the event, and sometimes we give the hosts of the events a special shout out on craveDFW. The dinners are almost always BYOB which gives the diners control over their pairings. The chef often reveals the menu in advance and also suggests wines. This can be extremely interesting.

This past weekend we attended one of Chef DAT’s dinners, and were extremely excited due to the special menu plans he laid out for us. DAT is the undisputed king of the underground and has many of these special events at various spots around the city. He has been known to take his kitchen show on the road to enviable locations such as Napa Valley, New Orleans and even Hawaii. This particular dinner included some fun ingredients such as White Alba Tuffles, Amber Osetra Caviar, lobster and rainbow trout procured from TJ’s Seafood Market.

DAT has fun with his guests, often interacting one-on-one. He will enjoy a glass of wine while he wrestles his ingredients into submission, which often can be an enjoyable show itself.

As the smallish crowd sits and makes formal introductions with their table mates for the evening, they often compare wine acquisitions which can make for entertaining table talk. I brought what I felt were solid choices only to be trumped by an adjoining table who could have easily been sommeliers. They shared theirs, we all shared ours. I also brought a secret weapon in a nice bottle of scotch that made the rounds as an after dinner drink. These are the moments that are kismet.

This particular dinner was so popular that it sold out quickly and another was set up the following night which also sold out. Popular is an understatement.

You might enjoy a gander at the completed dishes, so I included the photos below. Be sure to check out what DAT has planned next by adding yourself to his mailing list. You never know where it might take you.